Inflating nipple



Feb. 23, 1932. w. P. DowNs 15846189 NFLATING NIPPLE Filed April 17. 1930 I i l I 1 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT i OFFICE WILLIAM r. Downs, oir nmnenron'r, CONNECTICUT, asma-oa To nnrnenronr nnss i COMPANY, or rememorar, ooNNncrIcUT,

INFLATING NIrrLE Application led April 17,

My invention relates to an inflating nipple and more especially to an inflating nipple suitable for connecting a pump to the bladder of a football or the like.

Many of the footballs now in use are provided with bladders havingivalves for preventing the escape of air, these valves generally taking the form of the' valve insides such as are used in automobile tires, and being mounted in stems which are embedded in tubes or necks connected to the bladders. In order that the valve of the valve insides may not have to be unseated upon each stroke of the pump, and in order to permit the free fiow of air from the pump into the bladder, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement in a nipple of the above character for holding the valve unseated when the nipple is connected to the bladder.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement wherein the nipple may be used with valves of various types which will be uniformly unseated when the nipple is connected to the bladders for inflating purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nipple wherein the escape of air from the bladder is prevented during the inflation thereof.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described. and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view in section of an infiating nipple according to my inven tion, showing the nipple in use in connection with one form of valve insides;

Fig. 2 is a view of the nipple in use in connection with a different form of valve insides, and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in which I. have illustrated my invention by showing a preferred embodiment of the same, the reference numeral indicates in general a pump which may be of any preferred form, and which, as shown, comprises a barrel 11,

`of pump rod is a handle 16, which maybe in I J nthe lower end of barrelill is? an axially directedthreaded openin 23 in which the re- 1930.- semi nu. 445,113.

which isf threaded atitsupper end 12 for `the reception of cap 13, the latter being provided with an axial` opening latn which the pump rod'15 is mounted. On the upper end secured thereon inany suitable manner. The lower end of rod .15 is threaded, as at 17, for the reception of nuts 18 and 19, `whichserve to clamp the usual cup-shaped leather pack- 20, between washers 21 andf22. f"

duced and threaded enc 24of1nipple25is received, a leather washer orother packing shoulder 27 on nipple 25 andthe end ofthe pump barrel, in order to prevent the escape of air around the threaded end of the nipple.

Y. `TThe lower end of nipple `is threaded, as 'at 28, for reception in` valve" stem 29, which FI may be of' any suitable `form and in which a `.valve insides 30 is received, valve insides 30 comprising ingeneral a valve 31, valve stem or rod|32 andlvalve spring 33 which, at one erich-engages head 34 on rod 32 and at ther 4other end engages plug 35 to `urge valve 31 to seated position `on the lowerend of plug 35. Nipple 25 is providedwith anraxial bore V36, which is enlarged atto provide atseat 38 for= ballcheck valve 39, which is "of less di- 'ameter than bore 37 to provide for the free passage of air through the nipple. Move- `ment. of check valve 39 away from seat 38 islimited by plug 40, which preferably has a solid core/11 and axially directed ribs 42 `which engage the walls of bore 37 in frictionk `tight `engagement touhold" the plug 4against movement in the nipple. The lower 'end of plug 40 is spaced inwardly from the end of nipple 25 and Vserves to engage the l.valve rod 32, to unseat valve 31 when the nip- 0f thedmwaigs `I have stewart@ improved nipple when used with al'dierent form of valve insides from; that shown in i In the' flmShOWB `2 they `member 26` being interposed4 between the i spring 44 engages a shoulder on valve stem 45 to urge valve 46 against the lower end of plug 47, plug engaging the upper end of valve rod 48 when the nipple 25 is received in stem to unseat valve 46. The valve rod 48 is provided near its upper end with the usual Wings 49 which in the present instance are received within the lower end of thelnipple whenV the .latter is threaded into the stem.

yItis to be noted thatl the ability ofthenipple to unseat the valve does not depend on the' presence of the wings, the plug 40ruengaging unseat-ing the upper end of the valve` rod for purposes as in Fig. l. c

From the above description of the invention, it will be readilyfunderstood that` the nipple 25 is threaded into the valve stem of the bladder to be inlated,the plug 40 at the lowerend of the nipple engaging the' valve rod of the valve insides toi unseat the valve thereof whereupon air may pass freelyinto I thefbladder, the return iiow offair into-the pump being prevented by ball check valve39, Y

engaging seat 38.

lVhile I have shown and described Ya prei, l* ferred embodiment of my invention, itV will be understood that it is not to be limited Ato all ofthe details shown, but Vis capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within appended claims. -V

What I claim is the scope of the 1. A nipplefor a pump for a ootballj'bladder or the like having a stem and a valve insides mounted in the stem, said nipple being threadedV at one end for connection to said stem, and A'having va passage for air extending therethrough, a valve seat in said passage remote from lsaid'end, said passage being vof substantially uniform diameter'between the valve seat and said end, a mem'- ber lixedly mounted in said passage adjacent said end and adapted tounseat the valve inf sides whenthe nipple is receivedv in the stem, and a ball valve in'fsaid passage and having free `movement between the valve seat and said member. 2. A nipple for a pump for a football bladder orV the like, having a stem, and'valvejinsides Vmounted in the stein, said nipple being vthreaded at one end for connection to said stem, and havinga passage for air extending therethrough, said passage being of uniform diameter between the valve seat and Vrsaid end, a member fixedly mounted in said passage adjacent said end and adapted to unseat the valve insides when thenipple is received in the stem, said member being generally of cruciform 'crosssectiom a ballvalve 1n said passage having-free movement between the valve seat and said member.

3; vA nipple for `a rpump for Van inflatable article or the like having a stemand a valve mounted in thestem, 'said nipple ha-ving'fa V r Vbore extending axially=therethrough,;and a 

